Ding Liren became the first Chinese player to hold the World Chess Championship title after defeating Ian Nepomniachtchi in Astana, 2023.
Key Facts
- Match format
- Best of 14 classical games plus tiebreaks
- Classical score
- 7–7 tie, decided by rapid tiebreaks
- Decisive classical games
- 5 of the first 7 games were decisive
- Champion title number
- Ding Liren became the 17th World Chess Champion
- Match dates
- 9 April – 30 April 2023
- Defending champion
- Magnus Carlsen declined to defend his title
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Magnus Carlsen chose not to defend his World Chess Championship title, citing lack of motivation. Ian Nepomniachtchi, winner of the 2022 Candidates Tournament, became the challenger, while Ding Liren qualified as runner-up after Sergey Karjakin was sanctioned for supporting Russia's invasion of Ukraine, with Ding barely meeting FIDE activity requirements following COVID-19 disruptions.
The match was held in Astana, Kazakhstan from 9 to 30 April 2023. Nepomniachtchi took the lead three times during the 14-game classical portion, but Ding equalized each time, finishing 7–7. In the rapid tiebreaks, Ding won the decisive fourth game with the black pieces to clinch the championship.
Ding Liren became the 17th World Chess Champion and the first Chinese player to hold the title. Combined with Ju Wenjun's women's world title, China simultaneously held both the open and women's world chess championships. Ding's unlikely path to the title was widely described as highly improbable given his qualification circumstances.
Result
at Astana, Kazakhstan